Cleveland Browns: 5 keys vs. the Miami Dolphins

Most Browns fans felt that the team lost last week’s heart breaker in the closing moments of the game. While they are not mistaken, as the team failed to execute in the final minutes, many overlook the roots of last week’s meltdown.

The end of the first half was truly the beginning of Baltimore’s comeback, as they scored, intercepted a Josh McCown pass, and scored again to pull within a single point at halftime, all within the closing minutes of the first half. This was just the latest installment of Cleveland’s struggles to close out the first half, as it has seemed to develop into a recurring theme the past few seasons.

The problem is this shortcoming is too often overlooked because an entire second half still awaits. But the need for the Browns to remain sharp throughout the entire first half and keep their focus is more than ever as they go up against an opponent hungry for their first win on Sunday.

This is not complicated, and there’s really no secret to it. Finishing a half effectively is the responsibility of every position and every player on the roster, as well as the coaching staff, which too often messes up clock management.

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Then, of course, finishing the game is the final step. This was another area in which the Browns struggled last week. If the team is in a position once again to get a victory, they need to do everything they can to get a different result. This includes keeping the game simple even in the most important situations.

If the Browns can do this, they can find themselves in the win column after Sunday’s game.